Lewis Spratlan Recent Compositions

Santa Fe New Music presented a program of chamber music by Lewis Spratlan. This was the 8th annual Living Composer Portrait, in conjunction with the Santa Fe Opera. Mr. Spratlan's opera "Life is But a Dream" won the Pulitzer Prize for music in 2000 & will be premiered by the SFO in July. It was written in 1978, & Spratlan has championed it for over 30 years: a long road. This program included a piano quartet, solo piano, & music for soprano & sextet. Spratlan's music achieves a balance between the abstract & the emotive, lightened by occasional humor. Each piece had complex harmonics, devilish syncopation & lightning fast passages. There were frequent Ivesian collisions of styles that delighted everyone. Hats off to Judith Gordon who played the gnarly piano solo "Wonderer" (2005) with power & grace. Clear-voiced soprano Kiera Duffy's treatment of the song cycle "Of Time & Seasons" (2001) rang true & was perfect for the music & lyrics. Spratlan introduced the program with energy & enthusiasm. He was clearly delighted that this music was being performed and heard. He happened to sit right in front of me & danced in his seat, especially during "Wonderer". I chatted with him after the program, & he modestly accepted my compliments and gave raves to Gordon for her performance. My friend Bebe thanked him for the humor in his music, & he replied, "Humor, I fight for that!" Mr. Spratlan is indeed a fighter for new music & we are the beneficiaries.